Apparatus for piercing containers for use in beverage producing machines



Oct. l, 1968 W G, LAMPE 3,403,617

APPARATUS FOR PIERCING CONTAINERS FOR USE IN BEVERAGE PRODUOING MACHINESOriginal Filed Jan. 2l, 1966 INVENTOR WILLY G. LAMPE ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent O 3,403,617 APPARATUS FOR PIERCING CONTAINERS FOR USE INBEVERAGE PRODUCING MACHINES Willy G. Lampe, Richmond Hill, N.Y.,assignor to Universal Oil Products Company, Des Plaines, Ill., acorporation of Delaware Continuation of application Ser. No. 522,142,Jan. 21, 1966. This application Nov. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 689,220 9Claims. (Cl. 99-295) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for piercingand introducing a uid into a container having a beverage producingingredient therein, wherein the apparatus has top and bottom structuresfor engagement with the container to position the same for piercing suchthat a uid may subsequently be introduced into the container through thepiercing structures, and means to operate the top and bottom piercingstructures.

This invention relates generally to apparatus for piercing andintroducing a iluid into a container for infusion with a pre-selectedbeverage producing ingredient therein and is a continuation of UnitedStates patent application Ser. No. 522,142, led Ian. 2l, 1966, and nowabandoned.

More particularly, this invention is Well suited for use in automaticbeverage producing machines of the type primarily employed in aircraftgalley equipment wherein the beverage is extracted from a beverageproducing ingredient while the ingredient is still contained within thecontainer in which it was originally packaged. It is of primaryimportance that such equipment be as compact as possible and require aminimum operating area so as not to distract a stewardess or hamper herin the performance of more important duties. Thus, while the presentinvention is peculiarly adapted for use in such machines, it will,nevertheless, be obvious that it is also applicable to beverageproducing machines in general.

Accordingly, the desideratum of the present invention is to provide anapparatus for quickly and efficiently piercing a container having abeverage producing ingredient therein to prepare the container for usein a beverage producing machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus ofthe type described which simultaneously with the piercing operation,clamps the container in operative position in the machine.

Further objects and features of the present invention reside in thenovel details of construction which provide for the entrance and exit ofa iluid from a container having a beverage producing ingredient thereinthrough elements which are adapted to pierce the container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus forpiercing a container having a beverage producing ingredient therein forutilization in beverage producing machines which occupies a minimumamount of space, and which requires a smaller operating area thanapparatus used heretofore.

In apparatuses of the type described, it is imperative that theequipment be cleaned periodically thereby maintaining proper healthprocedures to prevent contamination of the apparatus by bacteria.Accordingly, a further object of the invention is to provide canpiercing equipment that is easily disassembled for cleaning purposes.

Other and further objects of this invention reside in the structures andarrangements hereinafter more fully described with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus constructed according tothe present invention, illustrating the apparatus in the unlatchedposition for receiving a container therein;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional View of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1,showing the apparatus in the latched position with a container packedwith a beverage prod-ucing ingredient received therein; and

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the bottom piercing assembly shown in FIG.1.

The apparatus of the present invention is designated generally by thenumeral 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2 and includes a bottom piercing assembly 12,a top piercing assembly 14 and an actuating assembly 16. Moreparticularly, the top piercing assembly 14 includes an inverted cup-likemember 17 having an upper circular wall 18 and a depending peripheraltiange 20 that is ared outwardly at its lower end 21 to form anentranceway for a container to be cupped therein. A hollow tube 22extends axially downward through the wall 18 and terminates above andwithin the contines of the bottom edge of the ange 20 in a pointed end24 to provide a top piercing element. A resilient washer 26 surroundsthe tube 22 and abuts the undersurface of the wall 18 to provide a fluidtight fitting. The top piercing assembly 14 is adapted to be fixedlyconnected to a beverage producing machine of the kind disclosed inUnited States Letters Patent No. 3,016,930 to Dziedziula et al., and thetop of tube 22 is connected to a source of liquid in the machine byappropriate means, not shown, and forming no part of this invention.

Although the top piercing assembly 14 is adapted to be tixedly connectedto a beverage producing machine and, therefore, is essentiallystationary, the purpose of the invention is to cause a relative movementbetween the piercing assemblies 12 and 14 such that the container isclamped therebetween and pierced during such movement. In accomplishingthis purpose, because the piercing assembly 14 is stationary, thepiercing assembly 12 is made movable in response to the operation of theactuating assembly 16.

The bottom piercing assembly 12 includes an annular ring 28 having acentral through bore 20` and an upstandirig peripheral ange 32. The ring28 is connected at 33 to a pair of opposed brackets 34, as by welding,which form a portion of the actuating assembly 16. Received on the ring28 is a cup-like member 36 having a bottom circular wall 38 that abutsand is supported by the ring 28, and an upward directed peripheralflange 40 that is flared outwardly at its upper end 41 to form anopening for a container to be received therein. Depending from, andintegral with the wall 38 is a hollow funnel 42 that curves inwardly anddownwardly and terminates in a narrow-neck portion 44 at the lower endthereof, and which communicates with a central through opening 46 in thewall 38 at the other end. As shown in FIG. .2, the funnel 42 is slidablyreceived through the bore 30 in the ring 28. Additionally, the member 36seats within the ange 32 so that the member 36 and the ring 28 mayeasily be separated.

Removably received within the cup-like member 36 is a circular plate 48having a plurality of spaced upstanding bottom piercing elements 50thereon. Each of the piercing elements 50 comprises a three-sidedpyramid thatterminates in an upper piercing point 52 Which is spacedbelow the upper edge and Within the confines of the flange 40. The edgesformed by the adjacent sides or facets of the pyramids are sharp toprovide cutting edges. A c gitral bore 54 extends through each element50 and the plate 48, and communicates with passages 56 which arereceived in the respective sides or facets of each pyramidal element.The elements 50 are positioned on the plate 48 so that the respectivebores 54 communicate with the opening 46 in the member 36.

A plurality of circumferentially spaced pins 58 (FIG. 3) projectradially inward from the flange 40 and they are spaced above the wall 38by a distance slightly in excess of the thick-ness of the plate 48. Thepins 58 are adapted to overlie the edges of the plate 4S thereby tomaintain the plate in the member 36. The plate 48 is provided with acorresponding number of circumferentially spaced slots 60 which areadapted to be aligned with the respective pins 58 and which allow thepins 58 to pass therethrough. Thus, when the plate 48 is dropped into orplaced within the member 36, the slots 60 are aligned with therespective pins 58 and the plate 48 rests in engagement with the wall38. The plate 48 is then rotated so the respective slots 60 and the pins58 are out of alignment (FIG. 3) thereby locking the plate 48 in place.The above procedure may be reversed when it is desired to separate theplate 48 and the member 36.

In practice, the top piercing and bottom piercing assemblies 14 and 12are coaxial. The actuating assembly 16 is illustrated in detail in FIG.l and includes the opposed brackets 34 which are slidably received inrespective channels 62 which are connected to the beverage producingmachine so that the brackets 34 may be guided for vertical movement. Thebrackets 34 include inturned legs 64 that extend toward each other for apreselected length so that the distance between them is less than thediameter of the ring 28. The ring 28 is seated on and connected to thelegs 64 and, therefore, will move with the brackets 34.

The assembly 16 further includes a hollow tube 66 that rotatablyreceives a coaxial shaft 68 therethrough. The ends of the shaft 68 aretixedly connected to the beverage producing machine by appropriatemeans, not shown, so that the tube 66 is rotatable with respect to themachine. Opposed arms 70 and 72 extend laterally forwardly from the tube66; the arm 70 is longer than the arm 72 and a handle 74 depends fromthe end thereof. More particularly, the handle 74 is provided with abifurcated end 76 that receives the arm 70 in the forked slot 75 definedthereby. A pivot pin 78 connects the handle 74 to the arm 70 for pivotalmovement with respect thereto. Accordingly, when the handle 74 is pulledforward a-nd upward, the forward edge of the arm 70 will engage thebottom surface of the slot 75 and cause the arm 70 and, therefore, thearm 72 to swing upward in an are about the axis of the tube 66. The arms70 and 72 are provided with aligned elongated slots 80 intermediatetheir ends. Each of the slots 80 slidingly receives a pin 82 thatprojects rearwardly from each bracket 34 to provide a lost motionconnection therebetween. The connections comprising the slots 80 and therespective pins 82 translate the arcuate or rotational motion of thearms 70 and 72 into corresponding vertical movement of the brackets 34.

A latch plate 84 is adapted to cooperate with a laterally projecting pin86 carried by the arm 70 to latch the actuating assembly 16 in anoperative position. More particularly, the latch plate 84 is pivotallymounted on the beverage producing machine by a pivot pin 87. A torsionspring 88 engages the plate 84 and biases the lower p0rtion of the plateabout the pin 87 and in the direction indicated by an arrow 90. A stoppin 92 is adapted to engage an arcuate cam surface 94 on the face of theplate 84 to limit the movement of the plate in the aforenoted direction.Provided in the plate 84 is a slot 96 which extends to a cam surface 94.Accordingly, as the arms 70 and 72 are moved upwardly, the pin 86engages and rides on the cam surface 494 thereby rotating the latchplate 84 in a direction opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow90. However, when the pin 86 is aligned with the slot 96, the torsionspring 88 will bias the plate 84 back to its original position therebycapturing the pin in the slot and latching the mechanism 16 in anoperative position, as described more fully below.

A laterally projecting ear 98 is provided on the plate 84 adjacent tothe top edge thereof. The ear 98 is adapted to be moved manually in thedirection indicated by an arrow 100 to rotate the plate 84 about thepivot pin 87 and in a direction to release the pin 86 thereby to unlatchthe actuating assembly i6.

ln operation, the actuating assembly 16 is moved t0 its llowermostposition andthe member 36 having the plate 48 therein is placed on thering 28. A sealed container C of conventional metal construction andhaving a beverage producing ingredient B therein is placed in thecup-like member 36 with the bottom surface 90 of the container C restingon the points 52 of the elements 50. Since the points 52 are spaced fromthe top edge of the flange 40, the ange 40 will surround the bottomportion of the container and maintain the container C in an uprightposition. The flared portion 41 of the member 36 facilitates theinsertion of the container C therein. The handle 74 is then moved upwardthereby causing the brackets 34 to move vertically upward. Thus, thebottom piercing assembly 12 will move toward the top piercing assembly14 until the upper portion of the container C is received within thearea defined by the liange 20 and the upper surface 92 of the containerabuts the pointed edge 24 of the tube 22. The flared end of the flange20 facilitates the reception of the container C into the aforementionedarea.

The continued upward movement of the handle 74 causes a force to beexerted on the upper and lower container surfaces 90, 92 at therespective point contacts 24 a-nd 52 of the piercing elements. Thisforce increases in proportion to the upward force on the handle 74 andthe arm until the piercing elements 50 and the pointed edge 24 of thetube 22 pierce the lower and upper surfaces of the container C. Theupward movement of the handle 74 is continued until the latch plate 84engages the pin 86 to latch the assembly 16 in the upper position. Theelements comprising the apparatus 10 are sized so that when the assembly16 is latched, the container C Will be clamped between the bottom andtop piercing assemblies 12 and 14 and the top surface 92 of thecontainer C will compress the washer 26 to provide a seal about thepuncture produced by the tube 22.

To produce the beverage, the fluid (not shown) is selectively allowed toflow through the tube 22 and leach through the beverage producingingredient B in the container C. The beverage flows through the passages56 in each of the elements 50 and through the respective bores 54 intothe funnel 42. As a result, the beverage will pour out of thenarrow-neck portion 44, which serves as a pouring spout, and into aflask or cup positioned therebeneath.

When it is desired to remove the container C, the assembly 16 isunlatched in the aforenoted manner and moved to its lower position. Thecontainer C is thereby separated from the top piercing assembly 14 andcarried to the lower position by the member 36. The container C may thenbe removed from the bottom piercing assembly 12 and discarded and a newcontainer placed into the apparatus 10. lt is to be noted that none ofthe elements comprising the apparatus 10 are positioned in front of thetop and bottom piercing assemblies thereby to obstruct or hamper theremoval or the insertion of a container. Hence, the present apparatusgreatly facilitates such operations. Additionally, since the handle 74is substantially in a vertical plane, the overall length of theapparatus is decreased thereby providing a compact unit.

Accordingly, an apparatus has been provided for piercing and introducinga iiuid into containers having preselected beverage producingingredients therein which occupies a minimum area, and which is openlyaccessible to facilitate the insertion or the removal of a containertherefrom. Moreover, since the ring 28, the member 36 and the plate 48are readily separable, the cleaning of the apparatus is greatlyfacilitated.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out thefundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferredembodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions andsubstitutions and changes in the form and details of the deviceillustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in theart, without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1t is theintention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope ofthe claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for use in a beverage producing machine for piercingcontainers having a beverage producing ingredient therein comprising atop piercing assembly,

a bottom piercing assembly,

actuating means for ymoving one of said piercing assemblies relative tothe other to clamp and pierce opposed surfaces of a container receivedtherebetween,

said actuating means including lever means adapted to be connected tothe machine for rotational movement with respect to said top and bottompiercing assemblies,

translating means interconnecting said lever means and one of saidpiercing assemblies for translating the rotational motion of said levermeans into linear Imovement of said one of said assemblies,

whereby the rotation of the lever means in a rst direction causes saidtop and bottom assemblies to pierce and clamp a container receivedtherebetween and movement of said lever means in a second directioncauses said top and bottom piercing assemblies to separate for theremoval of a container therefrom and for the insertion of a newcontainer therebetween,

said translating means including bracket means connected to said one ofsaid piercing assemblies,

mounting means adapted to mount said bracket means on said machine forlinear movement relative to the other of said piercing assemblies,

connecting means connecting said lever means and said bracket means forconjoint movement,

said bottom piercing assembly including a cup-like member for receivingthe container therein,

a plurality of piercing elements in the bottom of said cup-like memberterminating below the upper edge of said member for piercing the bottomsurface of said container,

a plate removably received in said cuplike member and supporting saidplurality of piercing elements thereon,

and at least a passage in preselected ones of said plurality of piercingelements for providing for the passage of a beverage therethrough.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1,

and passage means in said top and bottom piercing assemblies forproviding for the passage of a fluid into the container, through thebeverage producing ingredient therein, and out of said container.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1,

and latching means for latching the actuating means in a positionwherein a container is pierced by the top and bottom piercing assembliesand is clamped therebetween.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1,

ywherein said mounting means comprise channels slidably receiving thebracket means therein.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1,

wherein said bracket means comprises a pair of opposed bracketsconnected to said one of said piercing assemblies,

and said lever means comprises a pair of opposed laterally projectingarms individually connected to each bracket by said connecting means,

one of said pair of opposed arms being longer than the other of saidopposed arms,

and a depending handle pivotally connected to said one of said opposedarms and adapted to engage the lower edge thereof to move said levermeans in the rst direction.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5,

including a tube connecting the ends of said opposed arms,

and a shaft rotatably received through said tube and adapted to betixedly connected to the machine to rotatably mount said opposed arms onthe machine.

7. An apparatus as in claim 6,

wherein said connecting means comprises an elongated slot in each ofsaid opposed arms,

and a pin projecting from each of said brackets being slidably receivedin a respective elongated slot whereby the rotational movement of saidlever means is translated into linear movement of said brackets.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1,

and a hollow funnel having a narrow-neck portion connected to the bottomof said cup-like member and communicating with the passages in saidpreselected ones of said plurality of piercing elements to provide abeverage pouring spout at the narrowneck portion thereof.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said top piercing member comprises an inverted cup-like memberfor receiving a container therein,

a central piercing element in said inverted cup-like rnember terminatingabove the lower edge of said member and within the confines thereof,

a passage in said central piercing element for providing for the passageof a uid therethrough, and a resilient Washer received about saidcentral piercing element and adapted to be compressed between saidcup-like member and the container to provide an air-tight sealtherebetween.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT W. JENKINS, PrimaryExaminer.

